


Winner

by bijouni



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M, Sousuke!POV, at least in s1 in an affectionate sort of way, but there was never a time i didnt want to do that, especially in s2, i was abt to say back when i wanted to hurl rin into the sun, the first sourin fic i wrote
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-04
Updated: 2016-01-04
Packaged: 2018-05-11 16:07:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5632708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bijouni/pseuds/bijouni





	Winner

Sousuke sat on the loveseat, possessing the PS4 controller after completing a boss battle him and Rin had worked on for over three days. Somewhere in the past half hour Rin became content with merely watching, resting his head in Sousuke’s lap. He scoffed, making a couple snide comments like ‘you bastard’ and 'i pointed out his weak spot you know’ all while grinning at the word **WINNER** flashing across the screen. Sousuke snorts, about to reply with a sarcastic remark of his own when Rin’s attention suddenly ventures to a looming figure from the corner of the room.

“Ah! Makoto!” Rin jumps up into sitting position.

Tachibana flashes an easy smile, holding up a textbook in indication. “Sorry to intrude. I came by to return your notes, Sousuke. I knocked, but..”

Sousuke had glanced over at him, but Rin’s eyes were wide and glued to Tachibana the whole time. He hadn’t heard any knocking, but then again the system was loud. Sousuke reached for the remote, his arm brushing against bare skin under the sleeve of Rin’s shirt and Rin shouldn’t have flinched from his touch the way he did, right?

“..It’s fine. You can just set it on the table there.” He gestured over his shoulder to the stand near the doorway. Tachibana placed the book where he was told before giving his thanks and apologizing once more. “You do that a lot,” Sousuke announced simply when the door clicked shut.

Rin looked back at him now, though not without an expression of surprise still coloring his face. “Do what?”

“Freak out when someone sees us.”

“I–!” Rin started loudly, lurching forward a bit, but stopped suddenly, probably realizing how pointless it would be to deny it, to Sousuke of all people. “Erm.” He gnashed his bottom lip between his pointed teeth, eyes straying to the side. “It’s not that I’m..embarrassed to be seen with you.” His voice lowered.

“Really? Because it sure seems that way.” His words were steady, not angry, but not forgiving either.

Rin flustered further. “I mean, ashamed.” He met Sousuke’s gaze, though this time a resolute seriousness burned in his eyes and reached his tone. “It’s not that I’m ashamed to be with you, Sousuke.”

“..Yeah.” Sousuke looked at him carefully, exhaling a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “Yeah, I know.”

It wasn’t exactly difficult to discomfit Rin. This was the guy who played it cool in front of girls in elementary school and burst into tears moments later. He was expressive and his emotions bled through like water, it didn’t take his best friend to see that. He was especially reactive in front of his buddies from Iwatobi. Nanase, in particular, and Sousuke frowned distastefully at the memory of the boy seeing them embrace in the hallway and Rin’s heat leave him almost immediately. They never publicized their affection much besides endearing looks, but that was ultimately unintended. Sousuke generally didn’t mind. Lately, he’d just been thinking maybe he should.

_“It’s not that I’m ashamed to be with you.”_

Sousuke believed Rin, he did. He wanted to. But there was always that small shred of doubt in the back of his mind that annoyed him. Not to blame Rin, but himself for feeling uncertain even a little bit when he was so certain about everything else.

“I know..”

So when Sousuke stood at the end of the lane that day, waiting and fist up to congratulate Rin on their race, he was a little bit more than shocked when Rin pushed his hand down and pressed his lips to his instead, in front of everyone, in front of Nanase. Sousuke didn’t even react before Rin pulled back, grinning. “We won!”

Sousuke blinked once, then smiled. “Yeah. Yeah, we did!” And that’s all he got out before Rin’s mouth was on his again. Victory never tasted so sweet.


End file.
